Edward's Date Night Extravaganza
by Skipper Pompeii
Summary: During the summer between Twilight and New Moon Bella and Edward share many days and nights together. In these up coming chapters we explore the possible scenarios that might take place if Edward were to plan all the dates. Rated T for safety.
1. Starcrossed

**Author's Note: **Our inspirations are, as usual, posted in our profile. Keywords are... the Horsehead Nebula (which belongs to Space), and Muse's _Starlight_!

**Disclaimer: **If there was any possibility that we owned Stephenie Meyer's books, Twilight or New Moon, or any of her characters, we would not be writing and posting here. We'd rather be sitting on a beach in the Caribbean, sipping smoothies, with Edward on one side and Emmett on the other.

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**Starcrossed  
**

It's Friday, a day which I had recently begun to loathe. It was my first summer with Edward, and so far every single week had ended with an "Edward's Choice Date Night". If it were up to me, I would prefer we stayed in. Snuggling up on the couch, watching movies, lying on Edward's couch listening to music, or quite frankly, lying in my bed pushing limits sounded like a much better plan to me! Edward, however, said that we did that every other night and Fridays belonged to him. I tried to argue, but he always managed to…um…. make me forget what we were talking about. I should be mad at him for doing that, but truthfully, I enjoyed it too much. Thus the wanting to stay in all the time.

Every Friday began differently. Sometimes he would be there, beside me, when I woke up in the mornings, sometimes all I got was a note. I was only ever given an idea of what I should wear or was told that Alice had purchased something just for the occasion. The "Let's-spend-money-on-Bella" thing Alice had going on was something I was usually unhappy about, but for these Friday nights it actually came in handy! On the nights when Alice would get involved, I spent every second I could attempting to pry information out of her. It unfortunately _NEVER_ worked. The most I ever got out of Alice was, "Don't worry, it will be fun." _Most_ of the time she was right.

The heavy stupor of sleep began to lighten; I clenched my eyes shut unwilling to accept another end to a night of perfection. Well that, and I was still tired. All I wanted to do was snuggle up into Edward's chest and sleep. Or pretend to sleep, or possibly not even sleep at all. Yes this was going to be a great morning! However, when I reached out for him, all I grabbed was my pillow. My eyes shot open, and in a heartbeat I was sitting up.

He wasn't there. All I saw was a note on my pillow, a disappointing discovery compared to the one I was hoping for. As I reached out for it, I unsuccessfully tried to stifle a yawn. In spite of the sudden awakening, it took me a couple of minutes to comprehend what the note in my hand actually said. In his gentle elegant script it read:

_Dress casual tonight. I'll pick you up at 7pm sharp. No stalling this time._

_Edward._

"'Casual', huh?" I thought as I put my feet on the floor. I realized that the last time he had told me to dress casual was... well… never.

As I walked to the bathroom, I decided to take a shower and mull over the evenings possibilities. If I was dressing casual, it meant we were _doing_ something, and if we were doing something, I was going to need to prepare mentally. Physical exertion almost always ended in a trip to the emergency room for me. I turned the faucets on in the shower, all the way to the red part. Hot… As I stepped in, I yelped. Darn! Too hot! _There you go,_ I thought. Even preparing for a casual outing was a dangerous activity. I rubbed my leg, and stepped in once again after turning the heat down a little. Ah… This felt good! I began concentrating on the possibilities of the evening. Alice was obviously not coming with clothes, so I couldn't interrogate her. Not that it ever did any good, mind you, but it certainly helped to pass the time. As the hot water washed the cloudiness of sleep from my body, my mind began to race with ideas. None of which were anywhere nearly as creative as I knew Edward to be, nor even remotely interesting enough to mention. I sighed as I felt the hot water giving out, down the drain washed both my sleepiness and my creativity. I would have to settle with the distraction of picking an outfit to pass the time.

When I got out, I wrapped myself in a towel and walked back to my room. "What to wear, what to wear?" I sighed in frustration. Usually dressing casual was not a problem for me, but when I was _told _to dress casual, heck when I was told to do anything, I had a tendency to make it a bigger issue than it needed to be. _The many joys of being a woman. _I sighed and looked into my closet, immediately pulling out a pair of jeans and a dark blue t-shirt. Why was Edward's note making me nervous? I had a feeling tonight would be very different from anything we had ever done before…

My day droned on while I straightened the house, did some laundry, and prepared an easy dinner for Charlie to eat when he got home. Nothing special really, an e-mail to Renee here, a dance around the kitchen floor with the mop there, oh, and a visit to the first aid kit after the mop dance. My poor toe connecting to the refrigerator was not something I had planned. I wrapped the steak I had marinated in cellophane and was preceding to place it in said fridge, when the phone rang.

"Hello."

"Hey Bella, it's Mike. What are you up to?"

"Oh nothing really, just making dinner, and then I will be getting ready to go out."

"Oh…" Mike's voice was thick with jealousy. "Where are you going?"

"I don't really know actually. It's all a big surprise, but at least its casual."

"Well…that's nice, I guess." He sounded possessive, much like he had when I'd just gotten to Forks. I was about to reply, when I heard his mood change and his excited voice sounded through the phone. "Hey, if your plans cancel, a bunch of us are going swimming at First Beach tonight if you want to come." I laughed silently as he referred to Edward as "my plans".

"Thanks Mike, but I think I'll have to pass."

"Oh, alright. Have a good night then" I heard the pout in his voice, which immediately made me think of the kids in Renée's kindergarten-class.

"I will," I said, and with that we ended our conversation.

Mike is a good guy, but he never gives up. I was relieved Edward wasn't here for that phone call. Aside from wanting to end his vegetarian streak with Mike as the main course, he would have grumped the whole night muttering things like vile, undeserving, and parasite. This, I could all do without for the evening, thank you very much.

As I finished up I could hear the sound of tires on the gravel outside. Before I could even put the dishtowel I was holding down, I heard him knock on the door. An idea suddenly popped into my head. I very slowly finished wiping down the counters and meticulously folded the towel and hung in over the faucet. Then slowly walked to the hall, took a seat on the stairs and began putting on my tennis shoes. As I was tying up the laces another knock came harder. I snickered, I couldn't help it, but it was too late. He had heard me. _Stupid vampire hearing. _

I didn't even have time to move before Edward was towering over me, with a peculiar look on his face. He bent down placing a hand on either side of me, trapping me in my spot. I was stuck, pinned between him and the stairs. He had a glint in his eye that gave his mood away as he said, "I thought I told you; NO stalling." He tried to glare at me, but his glittering eyes gave him away.

Trying to hold back my laughter, I replied, "Did you now? I must have forgotten. It was so long ago, it must have just slipped my mind."

"You say you forgot huh?" his words slowed and lowered to just above a whisper, his face inching closer to mine.

"Um, yes, I forgot. It was a very long day, after all." My heart began to pound, exploding out of my chest. I could feel my pulse pounding harder; I could feel it in my eyes, my neck, my lips. My vision blurred, as he lowered his head sliding his lips along my jaw. "What was that?" he breathed against my cheek. His breath swirled into my nose causing my body to tingle from the tips of my toes to the ends of my fingers. "I, uh, said I forgot."

"Is that so?" He moved his mouth just above mine, every syllable brushed against my lips sending all the heat in my body to my face. My mind began to swirl, every part of my body yearned to make contact with his. I was losing this fight. "Yes," I breathed back as our lips connected. I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned back against the stairs, pulling him into me. As his lips touched mine, I could feel the, all too familiar, desire in me increase yet again, and I felt myself clinging to his body, unwilling to let go.

Edward gently pulled away and said with a smile. "There will be time enough for that later."

"You promise?" I chided back. He didn't answer, just smiled and took my hand, helping me to stand. _Always the perfect gentleman_. He led me to the door, which still stood open from his recent breaking and entering. As we stepped into the thick warm night air, I saw Emmett's monster of a jeep parked in front of us.

"Where are we going in _that_?" I said with a nervous glance at the gigantic red vehicle.

Edward gave me an overbearing look. "Just wait and see."

"Nah-uh," I answered. "The last time I got into that jeep, we played _baseball _in the middle of nowhere! I'm _not_ getting in." There was a momentary grimace on his face, and I regretted bringing up that terrifying night. The look however quickly changed into a devious smile.

One moment I was standing in front of the vehicle with my arms crossed over my chest and Edward walking towards me, and the next thing I knew I was sitting in the passenger-seat, the seatbelt in place, and Edward was in the seat next to me starting up the monster of an automobile.

"You were saying?" he said with a sly smile.

"Hmpf!" I pouted, as he backed out of the driveway.

I looked over at his stunning form. It was… shaking? Now I noticed his face too. He was trying to suppress his laughing! "Edward!" I cried out, as his laughter roared through the air. "If you could just see your face," he managed to choke out as he looked at me. "How anyone can look so offended and so beautiful at the same time is beyond me."

I felt my cheeks grow hot. No matter what, he always managed to make me blush. "If you think flattery is going to get you anywhere, you're wrong," I said and looked out the window. He just laughed more, and turned on the radio.

I couldn't stay mad at him for long, especially when one of my favorite songs of all time softly hummed through the air. I couldn't keep quiet any longer. "I love _As Time Goes By_!" I sighed blissfully. Edward took his eyes off the road and looked at me with a puzzled expression. "You do?" he asked. "Yeah," I breathed as I leaned back and devoured the music, letting it soak the atmosphere of the jeep as we moved in a blur through town.

When we had gotten about 10 miles out of Forks, Edward suddenly made a sharp turn and the Jeep bumped along a dirt road. I felt my hands grip the seat purely on reflex, and my teeth were chattering as my entire body bumped up and down. Edward's chuckles could be heard the whole time, but unfortunately the vehicle never moved smoothly enough for my teeth to stop chattering, let alone shoot a remark at him. I had to settle for angry glares.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he stopped the Jeep, and I quickly unbuckled and got out. I didn't want to take the chance that the roller coaster ride would start up again. My legs were wobbly from the excessive shaking I had endured, but just as I was about to fall over, two strong, cool arms caught me.

"You really should have waited for me to come around," he said into my hair.

"Oh, so you mean I was too fast for you, for once?" I laughed as I looked up into his sparkling eyes. _What was he up to now?_ I pondered, as he made sure I sat down on the trunk of a fallen tree a little off the road. He walked back to the Jeep, and in the blink of an eye he was sitting next to me again, a big bag and a backpack lying at his feet, and Emmett's Jeep safely locked in the distance. I shook my head. "OK, so what are we doing now?" I asked, but something in the pit of my stomach already knew. He grinned excitedly.

"Now… we run."

I groaned, but knew it would do me no good to protest. I assumed my ritual position on his back with my head buried into his shoulder, so that I could avoid seeing the world fly by us at super speed. Even though it wasn't a long trip, I could tell by the slight change in temperature that we were heading up the mountains. I hadn't been up in these mountains since I was a little girl, when Charlie wanted to take me fishing at a mountain lake.

The wind steaming past us slowed but had not stopped completely. "We're here," he said as he carefully unlocked my tightly wound fingers from his neck. I opened my eyes and got my first glimpse of my new surroundings. We were standing in the middle of a great field, higher in the mountain range then the one we had played baseball in. We could climb to the mountain's peak in just a few moments from here. A light, warm breeze blew across the open space. It was a moonless night, and through the darkness the stars opened up the mysteries of the heavens before us.

"I have never seen so many stars before!" I gasped, in awe of the beauty stretching across the sky before me. Edward was busy pulling things out of the two bags he had carried up here.

"It's because there is no moon, and the stars aren't being overshadowed by its light. We can see them here like they are meant to be seen."

"What are you doing over there?" I asked, craning my neck to try and see around him.

"Come see for yourself." He had turned and smiled at me. I walked over to where he stood.

"A telescope? Are we star mapping tonight?"

"That's just for now. The real surprise comes later," he smiled, and gave me a swift kiss on the forehead. "Come have a look." I bent down and peered into the eyepiece.

"That's the Horsehead nebula," he said, pointing to the sky. "You can only see it this well when there is no moon. Beautiful isn't it?"

"It's so…colorful. I've never seen anything like it." Every possible color in the universe existed in that spot. Whirling masses of stars and color spread across the inside of the lens, and I stayed there, transfixed by its beauty.

"Come lay here with me." Edward's warm voice grabbed my attention, and when I looked up from the telescope I saw him lying on his back on a blanket he must have spread out while I was looking at the nebula.

"Why Edward, what kind of a girl do you think I am? If I didn't know any better I would think you were trying to seduce me," I chided with the cheesiest southern accent I could muster. He moved in a blur, grabbing my arms and pulling me down on top of him.

"And if I were?" he smoldered.

"Well, I guess I wouldn't complain." He took my face in his hands and I could feel my cheeks burn.

"You drive me mad. Do you know that?" he whispered, his lips seconds from my own.

"A girl can try."

I fell into his lips, releasing my ever-increasing desires. My fingers twisted in his hair. He ran his fingers down my spine, the pleasure causing a moan to escape my lips. He moved his hands to my waist, and as we kissed I could feel his fingers graze against the exposed skin at the bottom of my shirt. I was no longer in control; all sense of reason had flown out into the night air. I wrapped my legs around his waist and moved my hands to his chest for support as I trailed my tongue across his jaw and down the side of his neck. His head arched back and a small growl escaped his perfect mouth. My lips landed at the base of his neck tracing patterns in his burning skin, but before I could continue, I found myself lying on my back beside him, straining for breath.

"I am sorry Edward…I didn't mean to-," I panted. As usual I had let myself go, leaving all my inhibitions behind, and let the passion guide my actions. I knew how hard this was for him. My lack of self-preservation was a torture to him, and the fact that I couldn't even give him a chaste kiss without throwing myself at him, left me with all encompassing guilt. The torment I put him through was torturing me, but the way every cell of my being yearned for him made it impossible to resist.

"What am I going to do with you Bella?" He smiled at me, but there was a heavy strain in his voice.

I smiled back, my face burning with heat. All was forgiven in that instant. We lay there for hours, wrapped up in each other's arms, staring at the stars. He pointed out constellations and planets. I listened, fascinated by every word that escaped his lips. As he told me of Greek gods and star-crossed lovers, I fell into a world that I never wanted to leave. I was slowly tracing patterns across his stomach, dreaming of never leaving this spot. It must have been close to midnight by now.

"It's time," he said, getting out from under my grasp and offering me his hand.

"But I don't want to leave yet," I pouted, taking his hand and standing up.

"Oh, we're not leaving. It's time for the surprise." He had lifted me up into his arms. I knew it was time for more running, so I went to position myself on his back, but he stopped me.

"I want to look at you. I can't see you back there." I blushed at his words as he wrapped my legs around his waist and held me close to him, never once diverting his eyes from mine. The world around us began to blur. Higher we climbed. He was breathing slow and steady, never taking his eyes from mine. My heart began to pound. _Easy Bella…_I said over and over in my head. I had already pushed the limits tonight.

He stopped and I slid down his body to the ground, our eyes still locked. As my feet hit the rocky earth beneath me, I saw a streak of light shoot across the sky behind Edward…then another and another. I tore my eyes from his gaze, though he didn't move. The sky erupted in a torrent of light.

_A meteor shower._

From the mountain top, I could see for a hundred miles in every direction. I turned in wonder, looking north, west, south and east. It felt like the shooting stars were close enough to touch if I just reached far enough. Golden sparks rained down on our silhouetted forms on the peak of some distant mountain. I came full circle and met his electric golden eyes, magnifying the sparks flying through the atmosphere.

As he leaned down towards me, his gaze pinned to my lips, I saw a shooting star crossing another one's path above our heads. _Make a wish, Bella_, I thought to myself. There, underneath the beautiful heavenly display of stars and meteors, alone on the top of the world, I wished for one thing, and one thing only; that I would get to spend forever with _my_ one and only, my best friend, my soul-mate… Edward.

And then he kissed me.


	2. Kissing Time

**Author's Note:** A nod to our muses. Not Muse...geez you Muse fans are dedicated! Anyway, our thanks to Bronzhairedgirl, Casablanca, and Bella's Vintage Dress who's picture is located in our profile.

**Disclaimer:** We don't own Casablanca, though we wish we owned a guy like Humphrey Bogart! And Stephenie Meyers intellectual property belongs to her...thus the term "intellectual property"! If you don't understand that buy a dictionary and look it up, cause I'm not explaining it.

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**Kissing Time**

Edward and I had stayed up until 2am last night talking about history. It was amazing how much of it our history books had gotten wrong. I smiled at the thought of having a living history encyclopedia at my side. I knew it must have been late in the morning because I could feel the warm sun streaming through my windows in contrast to Edward's cold body snuggled up against me. I didn't want to open my eyes. What I wanted was to stay frozen here in this spot for eternity, if Edward would let me.

His lips whispered into my ear, "You know we would be forced to marry at gun point in my day, if we were found like this." He softly laughed and squeezed me tighter.

"I think Charlie would settle for just shooting you, period," I fired back laughing harder. "Are you going to make me get up now? Or do we get to lay here all day like I want to?"

"Nice try Bella, but have you forgotten what today is?" his soft laugh tickled the back of my neck as he began slowly caressing it with his lips. If he was trying to get me _out_ of bed, this certainly was not the way to do it!

I groaned. "It's Friday, Edward's date night extravaganza!" I tried to sound as snotty as possible while he was sending scores of goose bumps rushing over my skin.

He reached over me and pulled my shoulder toward him so that I was on my back looking into his beautiful golden eyes. "Come now, last Friday you had a great time, didn't you? And besides that, our little talk last night gave me an idea."

"Great. I love ideas." I said with a heavy dose of sarcasm and the biggest eye-roll I could muster. "Can't we just stay here? I like it here. No distractions!" With that I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me.

Just as he was in reach of my lips, "Nice try Bella, but you're going tonight. I'll have Alice bring by your outfit this afternoon. And I'll pick you up promptly, and I do mean promptly this time, at 7:00 tonight."

With that he was gone. "Hey!" I yelled out, sitting up in bed. "Where's my goodbye kiss!" I crossed my arms and threw myself back against the pillows in a huff.

"BELLA?"

"Oh crap, Charlie's here!" was all I could think before I heard the doorknob click open.

I pulled the comforter up to my chin, and closed my eyes. If I tossed and turned enough, he would simply think I was sleep talking again.

"Bella?" Charlie said from the doorway. I heard him take a few careful steps towards me, and then he sighed and muttered under his breath as he walked out the door again. The moment I heard the door click shut, I sat up and exhaled heavily. Charlie was way too easy to trick sometimes.

"OK, if Edward wants to play dirty and leave without kissing me, then two can play that game," I muttered to myself.

Making up a plan for revenge was going to be harder than I ever imagined. One, I had to avoid his eyes. Easier said than done, just the thought of those golden orbs sent my heart aflutter. Two, I had no idea how I was going to exact my revenge. I needed to come up with something, and fast. Think…. think…. this would be a lot easier if….

A thought suddenly struck me. Alice! She could help me, and she'd probably be thrilled to do so.

I got out of bed, got dressed and went about my morning rituals. After that, I waited for Alice. She'd be coming soon, and then we would plan. How could the hours pass by so slowly? I paced, listened to music, and thought up a million scenarios for my revenge, all ending up the same; with me losing. What was taking her so long? I turned off my CD-player and went downstairs to prepare Charlie's dinner, and then wandered back upstairs to answer Renée's e-mails. Could the hours possibly tick by any slower? _Where are you Alice?_

Around 5pm the doorbell rang. _Finally!_ I thought and took off bounding down the stairs, catching myself on the banister when I was about to trip, and ran to the door. "Hi Alice!" I exclaimed, slightly out of breath from my near fall. Her pixie-like face was beaming up at me.

I ventured upstairs with Alice silently following behind. As I flopped down on the bed my eyes landed on a garment bag Alice was holding in her lap. She smiled at me from the rocking chair across the room, as if she knew what was coming. Which, of course she did. I had been so focused on scheming and plotting revenge that I totally forgot the true purpose for her visit; my outfit for tonight. I groaned and slumped back on the bed.

"Aw, come on Bella," Alice said in a cheerful tone. "You'll have fun tonight, I know you will."

"Of course you do," I mumbled.

"Let's get you dressed." Alice jumped up out of the rocking chair and practically skipped over to my slumping form.

Laying the garment bag across my bed, Alice unzipped it and revealed my ensemble for the evening. I gasped, throwing my hand to my mouth. This couldn't be for me! The dress was breathtaking. It was a floor length midnight-blue silk dress, with a sweetheart neckline. The gathers around the hips would hug any woman's shape perfectly. It looked as if it had come straight out of the early 1930's. It was quite simply perfect.

"Are you sure you brought the right dress Alice? This couldn't possible be for me." I asked in a small voice. There was no way that I could pull off something so gorgeous. "Where did you get it?"

Alice laughed. "You probably won't believe this, but _Edward_ had it stored away in his house in Chicago. He bought it on impulse in 1934, but had no clue what he was going to do with it. It has been packed away all this time, and that's why it took me so long to get here. He sent me to Chicago to get it. The funny thing is it's actually your size."

_My size_, I thought. Midnight blue. And bought in the 1930's. The implications were impossible. Was it Fate? I was sure Alice was pulling my leg, but all I could do was gawk. Unable to comprehend any of what Alice was telling me, I only managed to concentrate on individual words like plane, Chicago, dress, and 1930. No thought was completely formed in my spinning brain.

"Come on now, Bella," Alice said as she got up. "Bathroom next."

That snapped me back to reality, and I groaned again. Of course, no way Alice could come over without playing dress up with me. I made my way to the bathroom like I was walking the green mile.

* * *

"Done! You can turn around now." Alice was so excited. I turned to look at what she had created from my less than flattering canvas. As I stared in the mirror, it was like looking at a stranger. She was stunning, a real Ingrid Bergman snatched out of the 1930's. Her hair hung down in loose curls around her shoulders, and the dress did indeed hug her small curves perfectly. I reached a trembling hand up to the side of her head to touch the ornate comb holding back one side of my hair. Studded with rhinestones, it was beautiful. 

"ALICE!" I screeched, as a possibility occurred to me. "These _are_ rhinestones aren't they?"

"Of course they are," but the glint in her eye made me very uncomfortable. "It's time Bella." Her voice was almost in a whisper as she moved quickly to the door. Just then I heard the doorbell ring.

"But Alice, I needed to talk to you about something." I whispered, conspiratorially, as I remembered my original scheme. I didn't want Edward to overhear me. "He left me this morning Alice, without so much as a kiss! I need to get back at him!"

As we stood at the top of the staircase, Alice smiled at me with a devilish gleam in her eye. "Whatever you do, don't kiss him while you're on the date. Okay?"

"Alri-," I started, but before I had a chance to finish, the door opened and Alice was gone.

My eyes fell to the foot of the stairs, and there he stood. Edward took my breath away. He wore a black pinstripe suit and solid silver tie. The suit was not something you would see any man wear today. It was definitely vintage. The lapels were larger and he wore flashy black and white saddle shoes. He raised his hand and lifted the black fedora, which had been coolly angled on his head and bowed. Edward was the epitome of class. As he raised his head our eyes met, and for a moment I thought I would faint. He was stunningly beautiful.

"Bella, your chariot awaits." His voice burned with seduction. He raised his hand and beckoned me come. My feet began to move down the steps, slowly being drawn to this vision that could not possibly be real. He took my hand as I drew nearer to him, and led me out the door.

This must be a dream. That's it, I fell asleep waiting for Alice and I'm dreaming. There couldn't possibly be a classic white Rolls-Royce sitting in my drive way right now. "This is all so surreal; I think I need to sit down." I hadn't realized I had actually said that out loud, but no sooner had I said it, Edward wrapped his arm around me and led me to the 'car collectors dream,' placing me in the passenger seat.

As I swung my legs around to sit properly in the car, he gently caressed my face in his hand. "You look heavenly tonight. Just as I dreamed you would look." He moved his lips closer to mine. Just as they were about to make contact, I remembered Alice.

"Uhm… It wasn't me you envisioned in this dress. You just liked it." It worked. I had distracted him for the moment. He pulled back and looked me over once more with a frown on his handsome features. It shouldn't be there, but I had to stick to my plan no matter what.

"I may not have seen your face, but it is you that I was waiting for." He closed my door and within seconds he was behind the wheel of our rolling museum. "It's Rosalie's," he said as he patted the dash of the car like he was remembering something long ago. "I bought it for her as a wedding present the first time she married Emmett."

"But how on earth did you get her to let you use it? She's not exactly fond of me, you know."

"I promised I would buy her a new one." He said sheepishly, as if he had promised to bring her home a gallon of her favorite ice cream… not a brand new Rolls-Royce!

"Where are we going this evening, dressed like we just walked out of the silver screen?" He laughed at my comment, but I sensed there was something more behind his laugh.

"It's a surprise. You'll find out soon enough." He reached his hand to the console and tuned the radio into a classics station. As he sang along to the melody of the song I listened to the words. "Gonna take a sentimental journey, gonna set my heart at ease…" It was a sweet smooth melody that made my heart sway to its rhythms.

It was clear that we were headed toward Port Angeles, and as usual, Edward's driving was getting us there in record time. Rosalie had obviously overhauled this engine to meet with her modern requirements for speed. Just as we entered the city limits, Edward pulled the car over to the side of the road.

"What are we doing?" I asked a little nervously.

"I need you to wear this." He had pulled a midnight blue silk scarf from his jacket pocket. It matched my dress perfectly. "I want this to be a surprise." He wrapped the scarf around my eyes and tied it comfortably. I couldn't see a thing.

"Edward?" I was feeling insecure without my vision.

"I'm right here," he whispered in my ear. "We're almost there." I felt the car pull away again heading for our mysterious destination.

"You know I hate surprises, and just so you know, I hate blind folds even more." I said grumpily.

I felt his hand squeeze mine. "It will all be worth it, I promise."

We drove for another 15 minutes, the whole way I was playing "twenty questions" attempting to gain some semblance of a clue to what his plans were. No such luck. Edward was as stubborn as ever, but I heard the smile in his voice every time he shot down another one of my suggestions. So I persisted in my questioning.

"A costume party?"

"Nope"

"The opera?"

"Try again"

"Skinny dipping?"

He roared with laughter so hard that I felt the entire car shake. "NO! Remember the dress, Bella!"

When he finally parked the car, he was at my door before I'd even unbuckled my seat belt. I felt his hand take a hold of mine, and I squeezed it hard. I really did not like being without my vision, especially when…

"Edward, you _do_ realize I'm wearing heels, right?" I panicked, as he tugged my hand to get me out of the vehicle. I got to my feet, and heard his soft chuckle next to my right ear. His arms slid around from behind and settled around my waist. I felt his chin on my shoulder.

"Do you honestly think after all this time that I would let you fall and hurt yourself?"

I shivered as his breath found its way into the crease of my neck, and his scent overpowered my senses. I was about to turn my head toward his and make contact with his lips, that I knew were just inches from mine, when a small voice from somewhere inside of my head said _"What ever you do, don't kiss him while you're on the date." _I stopped dead in my tracks, trying to control my urges. Then I laughed quietly to myself. _When did Alice become my conscience?_

Edward sensed a change in my mood. "Bella, is something wrong?" he asked warily.

I secretly thanked him now for the scarf he had wrapped around my eyes; without it, I would have blurted out everything the moment our eyes met.

"Nothing's wrong, Edward," I said. "Now, let's get going, so I can get this scarf _off_!" attempting to change the subject.

"Soon, but not yet," he chuckled. "It will just be a few steps."

I groaned knowing walking in a floor length dress with heels was dangerous enough, but adding the blind fold over unknown terrain meant certain disaster.

As Edward's gentle hands led me safely over any obstacles in the road, I started using my other senses. I smelled the salty air, and heard the wind blowing and sea gulls screeching in the distance. _Where were the cars and the people?_ I wondered. That's when it dawned on me; we had to be on the outskirts of Port Angeles. Where could he have taken me?

"Be careful here; the threshold is right in front of your feet now," Edward said, as he opened a squeaking door. When we stepped into the building, all that was heard was the echo from our steps. I decided it had to be high under the ceiling. There was a slight smell of dust in the air, and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. It reminded me of food…

I was still walking when Edward's hands slipped to the gentle curves of my hips, bringing me to an abrupt stop. I wobbled for a moment, unsteady in my shoes, but his hands were there, as always, to catch me.

"Stand very still now," he whispered into my ear, as his hands trailed up the sides of my body, and stopped on the back of my head, untying the silk scarf.

It fell to the floor in a graceful flowing movement, exposing my eyes. I gasped. The scene that engulfed us was straight out of old Hollywood. We were standing inside an old movie theater, red velvet curtains with golden bands were hanging from the ceiling in front of the largest movie screen I had ever seen. Almost all of the seats were gone, except for three or four rows in the back and the ones in the balconies above us. In the middle of the room, there was a round table covered in a dark red tablecloth seated for two. "Oh, Edward," I breathed. That was all I could get out at the moment.

I could feel his gaze on my face, but I couldn't look away from the visual feast this room was. Golden details were everywhere, from the table and the chairs, to the columns supporting the balconies. Edward had really outdone himself this time.

"You like it?" he asked, as he walked me over to the table. I now noticed a serving cart standing next to it, with several covered silver bowls and plates. Edward thought of everything. "Like it?" I questioned, as he pulled out my chair so I could sit down, blushing at his act of chivalry. "Edward, I love it. You shouldn't have, not for me." How could this perfect creature go to such measures for _my_ sake? I wasn't worth all of this. He sighed and sat down on the other side of the table, encompassing me with his topaz eyes.

"My beautiful Bella," he sighed. "You deserve this and so much more. I _wanted_ to do this for you." I felt my cheeks grow hot and dropped my gaze. When I looked up again, he smiled crookedly at me.

"Now, if tonight is going to work out, I need you to eat so you won't pass out on me." He stood again, stepped over to the cart, and removed one of the lids. "Steak and mashed potatoes? Steak and green beans? Or perhaps steak and black eyed peas would be more to your liking?" I laughed. I was expecting some fancy gourmet food; instead I got something fairly common. He always managed to catch me by surprise. "I figured we should stick to the food of the time-period," he grinned at me.

I was almost entirely past the point of being embarrassed when Edward watched me eat, so the only problem with his looking at me all through dinner was my urge to confess my plot and beg his forgiveness. After seeing all the lengths he had gone to tonight, the guilt was getting to me. Was he wondering why we still hadn't kissed today? Or had he simply forgotten? I became miffed by that last thought, and decided instead to focus on something else. Like the reason for why he brought me here tonight.

I finished with my meal, and began to ask him what was next on his agenda when he excused himself and disappeared into a door at the right side of the room. I had a sip of water, pondering whether I should be offended that he left me or not, when a soft sound came streaming out of the speakers all around me. The song from the beginning of one of my favorite movies, _Casablanca_, filled the air. While I looked around to see where it came from, the theater lights faded away and my eyes were drawn to a spotlighted 1930's style sofa, which had appeared in front of the screen that now flickered with the opening credits.

"_You must remember this. A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh. The fundamental things apply, as time goes by. And when two lovers woo, they still say I love you, on that you can rely. No matter what the future brings, as time goes by."_

Edward walked out from the shadows, singing the words of one of my favorite songs. I always thought Dooley Wilson sang the song very well, but hearing it from my angels' mouth in his perfect, velvety voice was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. "Come over here, Bella," he said, patting the back of the sofa. "Sit with me."

I took hold of his outstretched hand and he led me around to the front to the sofa. We snuggled together there, his arms wrapped tightly around me. Renée and I used to go to the classic movie showings down the street every summer in Phoenix. _Gone With the Wind_, _His Girl Friday_, and _Casablanca_ were my favorites. I smiled at the memories as I settled into Edward's arms.

I stayed like that, enthralled in the story of these two lovers divided by war and time. As it drew to a close, Humphrey Bogart's famous words flooded across the speakers.

"If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday soon, and for the rest of your life. I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy mixed up world. Someday you'll understand that."

I sniffed and tears flooded to my eyes as Ilsa realized she would never see Rick again. Edward reached into his jacket and pulled out a handkerchief. I nodded in gratitude and watched her get on the plane. As the ending credits rolled across the screen the theater again was filled with the sounds of "_As Time Goes By_".

"May I have this dance?" Edward was standing up, offering me his hand once again. I could not resist those eyes. He wrapped his strong arms around me and we glided across the theater floor. I rested my head against his chest as we swayed and spun to the melody. When the song dwindled to a close he maneuvered me into a dip. His eyes smoldered with want. As he leaned in to kiss me I didn't have the strength to resist. Our lips inched closer together. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, my body decided to give me a helping hand. An eminse yawn escaped my lips.

He stood me up shaking with laughter, while I turned a shade matching the theater apolstry. "Its late, lets get you home." I smiled sheepishly as he took my hand, and we walked outside. The night air had cooled with the setting of the sun, and I shivered against the sea air. Before I knew it, Edward had taken off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders.

"Thank you," I said softly as he opened the car door for me, and I stepped inside. The ride home was a quiet, peaceful one. I laid my head on his shoulder and dreamed of romantic rendezvous and forbidden romance. As we entered the Forks city limits, I sighed.

"This was wonderful, Edward. I couldn't ever have imagined anything so magical. Thank you." This was really a dream. As we pulled in the drive way, I wondered if this still counted as the date, or if I had tortured him enough. I had certainly tortured myself enough, _that_ I was sure of.

He came to my car door offering me his arm. I laced mine into his as we walked to the front door in peaceful bliss. The porch light glowed softly, casting shadows across the lawn. He looked into my eyes with longing, and I could no longer resist. _Who exactly was I teaching a lesson here! _Edward lifted his hand and ran his thumb down my cheek coming to rest against my chin. He leaned in close.

"Here's looking at you kid." With that our bodies crashed together, my face flooded with heat. His arms moved across my back with greed and desire. Then, unwillingly, we relinquished each other. It felt like an eternity since our last kiss. I moved to go back for more when I noticed a devilish smile flash across his face, and I halted in my tracks.

"I win!" he chided.

"WHAT! You knew?"

"Of course! I heard you and Alice talking before I came in. Really, you should be more careful, you never know who might be listening," he smirked. And with that, he was gone. Again!

"EDWARD!" I yelled out in frustration. Keeping with my luck, the front door opened swiftly at my side.

"Bella, are you okay?" Charlie asked, looking very concerned. I blushed in reponse.

This had been one of the most magical nights of my life. Could I really complain? Edward would, of course, be waiting for me in my room when I got done getting ready for bed, though I was playing with the thought of locking my window. He'd still get in, eventually, but it would take him a little more effort to do so.

As I dreamily walked into the house and up the stairs, with Charlie eyeing me suspiciously, I sang softly to myself. "_The world will always welcome lovers, as time goes by."_


	3. The Chapter of Death

**Author's Note:** Skipper – I am so extremely sorry for the delay in updating! Don't blame Pompeii, this one was all on me. I hope y'all enjoy this!

Pompeii – Dude, quit apologizing! We have lives. They can deal. This chapter is entitled "The Chapter of Death" because it was a pain in the…

Skipper – Ahem! She means it was difficult to write. But we hope you enjoy it.

**Disclaimer:** We've been over this before… If we were Stephenie Meyer we would not have been on writing, but rather with our noses in Eclipse reading past the first chapter! And, of course, preferably on a luxurious beach in Maui.

* * *

**The Chapter of DEATH!**

We were lying outside on a blanket in the Cullen's backyard, Edward's head resting in my lap while I ran my fingers through his soft, auburn hair. The warm sun beat down on us in the heat of the afternoon. _Heaven. _He smiled up at me, skin and eyes shining like tiny diamonds.

"Happy?" he asked.

"More than you could possibly imagine." I softly smiled back.

He reached his slightly sun warmed hand to the back of my neck, pulling my face closer to his. A breeze blew through the yard, swirling my hair around our faces.

"You are so beautiful," he breathed into my lips.

CRASH!!!!

I awoke with a start. Looking around, still hearing various calamitous noises emanating from somewhere downstairs, I realized that Edward was gone. He had been right there when I had fallen asleep. He had been there through my dreams. And yet now, he was nowhere to be found. I hated when he did that. Where had he gone off to now? I was sure I should know this. "Think Bella, think," I urged myself. Last night's conversation was still fogged up in sleep.

I didn't have much time to ponder Edward's disappearance when the crashing sounds forced their way to the top of the stairs again. I hurried out of my room. _Was there a bear in the house_? Panic and adrenalin pumped through my veins, as my thoughts drifted to Emmett's encounter with one several decades ago. Sliding across the wood floors, in my socks and pajamas, I hit the wall of the stairwell and flew down the steps, tripping over my feet as I went. I ran into the kitchen, out of breath.

"What is it? What happened?" I cried.

I was momentarily struck by surprise and slightly awed at the scene taking place in front of me. Charlie was standing by the counter, actually trying to make something other than fried eggs and bacon for a change. Apparently pancakes were today's special.

The first sound I'd heard was when he lost the pan to the floor, and the second was his string of profanities mixed with the pan's return to the floor when he tried to pick it up without using a potholder. He looked at me in embarrassment, while sheepishly trying to clean up the now spattered pancake batter off the floor.

"Need some help, Dad?" I smiled, relieved it was just a '_Dad's trying to cook' _incident.

I walked over; ready to help him clean up, when the doorbell rang. I stopped dead in my tracks, unable to decide what it was I should do next. Answer the door or rescue Charlie? I was so befuddled at this point that I ended up standing with one foot on each side of the kitchen's threshold, incapable of making a decision. I was obviously not firing on all cylinders yet. The bell rang again. _Who could be visiting so early in the morning?_ I looked at Charlie who just smiled at my confused expression and decided to make up my mind for me. "I've got this, Bella. You get the door."

"Right. Get the door, got it." I speedily walked over to the door, sliding half of the way in my socks, which happened to be one of my most favorite past times as a kid. Who doesn't love sock skating? I smiled at the memories of freshly waxed floors and then grimaced at the recollection of the stitches to the head that followed.

When I opened the door, I received a welcome surprise. "Edward!" I exclaimed as I threw myself at his smiling frame, completely forgetting, for a moment, my father in the next room.

"Miss me?" he murmured into my ear as he bent down to kiss my cheek.

"You have no idea," I replied, my voice muffled into his shirt, reveling in his touch as I replayed the dream I had been so rudely awakened from, in my mind. He pulled away from my body, and looked me up and down.

"Hm," he said. "That's an interesting choice of outfit for our date. I know I told you to dress comfortable, but I thought you would have at least changed out of your pajamas." A crooked smile was playing over his lips, and I felt my cheeks grow hot. _Our date? Total _V8 moment, I had completely forgotten that Edward had to leave me before I woke up this morning. He was off to make preparations for our weekly date. _What had he told me to do exactly?_ My brain was still too fogged with the abrupt awakening and the chaotic run for the kitchen to think clearly.

"You forgot, didn't you!" he laughed as he looked at my baffled expression. Edward obviously had something very different planned for today, because our typical evening routine had been changed to encompass the entire day. Not that I could have been expected to remember what he was saying last night. I quivered at the memory of Edward pressed against my back, running his fingers lightly across my arms and down my sides while he whispered his cryptic plans in my ear. I wasn't thinking about his words, so much as his touch. A touch that still sent goose bumps exploding over my body, as I relished the memory. _Think Bella, think! What was he saying?_

_----------------_

"_We will be starting our date early tomorrow_," he had said to me as I began drifting off to sleep the night before.

"_Early. Tomorrow. Got it." _I yawned.

"_I'll be here to pick you up at 7am, and we'll be away all day," _he went on, giving me instructions on the coming day'sactivities as I drifted off to sleep.

----------------

"I didn't forget! I was just …um…preoccupied! But it was Charlie's fault; he distracted me!" I turned around, grabbing Edward's hand in one swift movement, and walked inside toward the kitchen.

"Hello, Chief Swan." Edward looked at Charlie with a puzzled expression. It's not every day you see the Chief of Police on the floor with a dishtowel tied around his waist scrubbing half cooked pancakes off the floor.

"Oh, hi there Edward. Just cleaning up a little pancake mishap." Charlie stood, stretching his back and holding the soiled pan and dishcloth. "So where are you kids off to today?"

I perked up. Edward never gave me clues as to where we were going. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the counter, eagerly waiting for the news of what was to come. He flashed a brief mischievous smile.

"Bella, we're going to be late. Why don't you run upstairs and get ready while I fill the Chief in on our plans?" Edward's smile grew from ear to ear. I stood up and opened my mouth to protest, when I was unexpectedly cut off.

"Go ahead, Honey. Edward and I will be fine down here. You don't want to keep the boy waiting." _Shoot!_ Foiled again. I sulked out of the room, grumbling.

I quickly ran up the stairs and into the bathroom, hoping to get back downstairs in time to hear some spoiler as to our plans. Just before I turned on the shower, I heard Charlie ask Edward if he would like a pancake. Ah, sweet revenge!

I finished getting ready in record time, donning a pair of khaki shorts and a teal and white Seattle Mariners tank top Charlie had brought me as a present on one of our previous summers in California. I had no idea what the big deal was, but it always made Charlie happy to see me in it. It was also a very comfortable shirt, so I obliged whenever possible.

When I opened the door of my bedroom, I was met with booming laughter from the kitchen. _Oh boy; Charlie, Edward, and laughter. Not good. Not good at all._ I closed my eyes knowing full well what the source of amusement must be. I took a deep breath, and hastily made my way down to see what was so funny.

"So, what did I miss?" I asked, eyeing the odd scene in front of me. Edward and Charlie, sitting together over half empty plates of flapjacks was not an everyday sight. I looked at Edward, raising an eyebrow at his new choice in diet. He smiled back with a knowing grin, and I caught a glimpse of a very full napkin in his lap.

"Oh, have some pancakes, Honey. I was just regaling Edward here with some of your finer fishing moments."

"My fishing moments?" _Oh that's definitely not good!_ "What exactly have you been telling him, Dad?" I glared at my father with enough intensity to burst his hair into flames. Only parents could think something so completely embarrassing could be cute enough to brag about. Charlie just smiled at me and moved to the sink to clear his plate. The last thing I wanted was Edward to hear stories of my fishing escapades! I embarrassed myself enough without the help of Charlie and childhood stories.

"I'll let Edward here fill you in. I gotta get going. You kids have fun today. And be careful!" And with that, Charlie was off to work.

"What exactly did he mean 'be careful'?" I asked, once I heard the front door shut. This whole secrecy-thing the two of them had going was making me nervous. Boyfriends and fathers were not supposed to get along so well.

"You don't have anything to worry about. Now finish up, so we can go." I sat down and fixed my plate. Two small pancakes neatly placed in the center, lightly drizzled with syrup. Everyone loves pancakes.

"Is that all you're eating? You'll need your strength for today." He kissed my cheek and moved away from the table to dispose of his uneaten breakfast.

"There are starving kids in Africa you know!" I laughed at the irony of his chastising my eating habits.

He looked up at me, smiling surprised. "Now are there really?" he said. "I did not know that. Suppose I just box up this mutilated pancake and ship it off to these African children? Would that solve your world hunger problem?" He had me there. I just narrowed my eyes and resumed chewing this time more slowly and deliberately.

"We really don't want to be late, you know," he said, now standing next to me again.

"And what is it, pray tell, that we don't want to be late for?" I asked finishing the remains of my breakfast.

"Nice try, Bella," he answered, giving me a quick peck on the cheek and disappearing into the living room. I made my way over to the kitchen sink to wash my dish.

"What are you doing in there?" I asked while rinsing my plate.

"Gathering intel. Lets see…" I heard him say. "One, two, three, four, five, six… A-ha!"

_Intel?_ I finished whipping my wet hands on a towel and walked to the front door. Edward met me right in front of the door grinning widely.

"Ready?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be." I replied as he started leading us out the door.

I stopped, eyeing the monstrosity invading my driveway. "Why are we going in that _thing_ again?" I asked, as Edward speedily advanced to open the passenger door of Emmett's jeep for me.

"We're not going far," he said. "But I figured you would rather _drive_ part of it than run the whole way." _Oh, this day was just getting better and better_, I thought. He helped me climb into the seat, buckled me up and shut the door, and in an instant he was sitting next to me. "And I really didn't want to take the Volvo," he continued as if there hadn't been a break in our conversation. "The roads we're taking can be muddy, and I just had her detailed." _Just had her detailed?_ _Men and their toys_, I thought, rolling my eyes.

As we pulled away, Edward continued to discuss this and that. His inconsequential conversation fascinated me. I became lost in the melodic currents of his voice. He was so perfect, so articulate, even when he talked just for the sake of talking. He was everything I had ever dreamed of and more. I drifted off into the private world of my mind, and even though I sensed movement next to me, I was far too lost in my thoughts to give him any notice.

Without realizing it, I reached out and began tracing the chiseled contours of his forearm with my fingers. As my fingertips mindlessly outlined his perfection, my thoughts drifted to the happiness I felt this summer. The time we had spent together was my own heaven on earth. If only he would see reason and make this permanent… I slowly replayed my conversation with Alice in Phoenix over and over again in my mind. I often wondered what exactly it was she had seen in her vision of me.

I hadn't noticed that our car-ride had come to an end. Yet, I sat frozen, staring into nothingness, as my mind lingered on the unknown complications that our relationship held. A cool hand lightly touched my shoulder sending me swiftly back into reality. Edward's eyes were so full of concern. "Bella, maybe we should do this some other day," he said. "Your face was full of so much sadness just now. Please, tell me what's wrong," he pleaded.

I smiled at him, his sweetness washing away the unpleasant feelings that swarmed my thoughts only moments ago. "Nothing's wrong, Edward. I've just had a lot on my mind." I placed one hand on his cheek as he groaned in frustration. "Really, I was _just_ thinking."

His eyes searched mine, trying to extract the painful emotions that were brewing just under the surface. I decided to let my worries go for the time being. This was not what we had come here to do today. I would treasure every second I had with this vision of perfection.

In a sudden attempt to distract Edward from my thoughts, I remembered the conversation he was having with Charlie earlier that day. "By the way… What 'fishing moments' did Charlie tell you about exactly?" I wanted to know what horrific childhood memories my father had spilled to Edward, and which he obviously must have seen in Charlie's thoughts.

It worked; a glorious smile grew across Edward's face, brightening the darkest recesses of my mind. "Really Bella, you freed the worms?" My jaw dropped at his question. I was officially going to become an orphan when I got home!

It hit me what he had been looking for in the living room; my seven-year-old picture. "Look! I was 7, and I didn't know that worms don't swim! We were in a boat! How else was I supposed to liberate them?" Edward roared with laughter, kissed my cheek, and opened my jeep door before I had my seatbelt unbuckled. "Are you done?" I glared before bounding out of the jeep, falling swiftly into his awaiting arms.

"Never," he smiled, and steadied my stance. I smiled at the connotation, which silenced my thoughts from the drive here. "I have a surprise for you. Let's go." He flung me onto his back swiftly, before I could react, and took off into the surrounding forest. I buried my head in his neck, inhaling his glorious sent.

"That tickles," he said, turning his head to look over his shoulder.

"Tickles? Are vampires ticklish?" I laughed, looking up and meeting his eyes. "Hey, watch where you're going!" He just laughed and continued on with his run. We slowed moments later, and I deeply inhaled one last time before sliding off of my personal chariot.

"You could bottle that smell, you know!" I laughed.

"Oh, really? And what would I call it?" he asked, mockingly.

"Why… _Ode' De Edward_ of course!" His laughter rang through the clearing that now surrounded us. A flock of geese sprang from the mountain lake that stretched out beyond the clearing's edge. The light breeze pushed small ripples of current across the water. Edward did have a knack for setting! He grasped my hand and we walked toward the water's edge.

"Climb in." He motioned to a waiting rowboat tied up to a small rustic dock.

"Climb in? I thought Charlie told you about my 'fishing moments'?" I began slowly backing away from the miniature dock, panic starting to build inside. Edward only held my hand tighter.

"Now Bella Swan, are you going to get in that boat or am I going to have to carry you in?" he spoke in a stern voice, which also had an air of amusement at my cowardice. "I have dreamed about this day for weeks, and you are going to get in that boat." His eyes searched mine, both pleading and demanding my cooperation. Unable to refuse him anything when he was like that, I sighed and resigned myself to the humiliation that was sure to come.

"Steady now, she's just a row boat. Have a seat over there." Edward still held my hand tightly as I stepped into the rustic boat and carefully maneuvered myself to one end to have a seat. He quickly followed, positioning himself opposite me and retrieving two long, wooden oars from the floor of our vessel.

I leaned back against the sides of the boat admiring the well-toned form of a Greek god as he pulled each stroke of the oar effortlessly through the water. His body covered by a formfitting t-shirt showed every muscle as it rippled in response to the movement. Back and forth he leaned, the wind lightly blowing his hair as he looked out over the lake and steered us to our destination. Every cell in my body wanted to make contact with his, to glide my fingers along every line of his frame. I longed to feel my body pressed tightly against his.

"Bella? Are you alright?" His voice brought me out of my fantasy causing my face to burn with embarrassment. My heart was pounding so hard, and I knew he could hear it. He was smiling at me as he as locked the oars in place and began to carefully move across the boat toward me. He stopped in the middle of the vessel, stretching his long legs out across the floor. He took hold of my waist and gently pulled me next to him.

"I feel the same way about you," he whispered, before pressing his lips softly to mine. We lay in the bottom of the boat, being gently rocked back and forth as my fingers traced along his glorious body. The hunger inside me grew with every inch that met my searching hands. His lips trailed down my neck and as he neared my pounding heart, his arm tightened around my waist pushing me tightly against his body. My fingers flew to his hair and my lips crashed into his. The only sound I could hear was the sound of my still erratic heart pumping in my ears. My leg moved instinctively around his and slid along the line of his thigh, as if every part of me screamed to stroke every inch of him.

"Bella," he breathed, breathless from my attack. "We need to stop. Please." His voice was torn, and I could feel him wanting more just as much as I did. But there was more in his voice, the fear in the edge of his throat. The sound that always made me stop. I relaxed against his chest, still slightly light-headed and out of breath. His fingers found mine and intertwined themselves, symbolizing where our true desires lay.

"_Lovers, forget their love and list to the love of these, she a window flower, and he a winter breeze._" His voice floated softly across the water.

"What was that?" I inquired, lifting my head to stare into his topaz eyes.

"A poem by Robert Frost."

"Please go on, it's beautiful." Returning my head to his chest, I closed my eyes and listened as he recited poem after poem in the long afternoon. Each one filled with the longing and passion of true love.

"Bid me to live, and I will live  
Thy Protestant to be;  
Or bid me love, and I will give  
A loving heart to thee."

"Well, what do we have here?" Emmett's voice boomed across the water, scaring me so badly I completely forgot where I was. I jumped up in a panic causing the boat to rock uncontrollably, and before I could catch my balance, I fell, with a splash, into the lake.

"Emmett!" Edward yelled, as he reached into the water and pulled me effortlessly back into the boat. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Emmett, standing on the encroaching dock, was unsuccessfully trying to retain his laughter. "Well, I came in for the weekend, and Alice said you were going to have a barbeque. We wanted to come too. Though, the floor show was an added bonus." With that he could no longer hold back, and his booming laughter burst out, echoing across the water.

As this went on, I noticed we had drifted across the lake to the far shore were a larger dock jutted out into the current. I glanced up at Edward's face, only to see his jaw clenched together and a murderous look in his eyes. "I'm fine, really Edward," I said, as he cursed his brother under his breath and putting a blanket around me. He lifted me carefully into his arms and stepped from the boat to the dock in one graceful motion. He plowed past Emmett, who was still very much doubled over on the pier with laughter.

"Put me down Edward." I struggled annoyed in his arms. It wasn't that he had done anything wrong. But I had just fallen, ungracefully, in to a mountain lake. As mortified as I was to have displayed yet another episode of Bella's Funniest Home Videos, we had been having such a wonderful time. I didn't want this to ruin it. "Please, Edward, I'm fine."

He looked at me and smiled. "Alright, Bella. But don't move." His smile grew wide with mischief as he placed me on the dock and turned to face a nearly hysterical Emmett. "You think it's funny, do you?" Edward asked almost inaudibly. He crouched down, and before Emmett could even look up, Edward plowed into him sending him flying off the dock in the water. The splash drenched everything in the vicinity, including Edward and I.

The water calmed and I threw off the now soaked blanket and walked over to Edward, who was standing on the edge of the pier. "Where is he?" I asked, after Emmett didn't surface immediately.

"He is circling," Edward replied.

"Circling?" I asked

"Bella, move!" he yelled. In a blur, Emmett exploded out of the water like a killer whale. He grabbed Edward by the legs and jerked him into the water. "This means WAR!" Emmett yelled, before disappearing into the water again.

"Edward?" I called out, leaning over to look into the water below.

"Hi Bella!"

I screamed, startled by the unexpected voice behind me, lost my balance again, and fell in. The water wasn't nearly as startling the second time around. I surfaced to see Alice looking apologetically at me. "I'm so sorry Bella. I didn't see that one coming." She smiled at me sheepishly, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"It's alright, Alice. I was already soaked. Though you should probably step away from the edge…" It was too late. Edward shot out of the water, grabbing Alice and knocking her in too. "I tried to warn you!" I yelled. I smiled, and decided it best to just join in on the fun. I flipped my shoes off and tossed them onto the dock before diving down into the water.

We played, and splashed all afternoon. "Marco!" Edward called.

"Polo!" We all yelled and swam off in different directions. I didn't get far before he wrapped his arms around me.

"Got you," he whispered in my ear before kissing my neck tenderly.

"Hey, I thought we were playing! No making-out during the game!" Emmett yelled from the other side of the lake.

"I think it's time for dinner. Are you hungry?" Edward asked, already knowing the answer. Swimming made me famished.

"Hey, Emmett! Barbeque time!" Edward called out.

Edward and I sat on the dock dangling our feet in the water, talking about our day and plans for the rest of the summer. Emmett had convinced us to let him take care of dinner, so we took the opportunity to enjoy some alone time. I even told Edward some more of my "fishing moments", after he had sufficiently begged and smoldered. After an hour or so, Alice and Emmett's voices rose in volume from behind us. We got up and walked closer to where they were talking.

When I saw Emmett standing by the fire, trying desperately not to burn my food, he looked too funny for words and only pure self-control enabled me to keep a straight face. Alice was standing by his side, and every time he would ask her for some assistance, she would answer "You were the one claiming that making dinner for the human was no big deal! What was it you said? Oh yes, I remember." Alice then launched into what can only be described as a perfect impression of Emmett's voice. "My family won the Tennessee State Fair BBQ competition 3 years running!" Then she added in a very sisterly tone, "Now prove it!"

Apparently, they had been bantering for a while, I looked up at Edward only to see him having some slight trouble containing his laughter too. He had to deal not only with the words, but also with their thoughts, which at this moment I assumed to be quite hilarious.

As he returned my glance, neither one of us could hold it back any longer – we burst out laughing as the two surprised vampires in front of us turned around, puzzled as to what we found so funny.

Once the food was finished, we sat down around the fire, laughing, talking, and enjoying each other's company. The food had even been tolerable. Not 'blue ribbon cooking' but definitely edible. As the sun began to set behind the trees, I kissed Alice on the cheek, gave Emmett a big hug, and waved good-bye to them both before they disappeared into the darkening tree line. "Good night!" I called after them.

Edward's arms snaked across my waist from behind. "You are amazing, Bella Swan." He whispered, "Truly amazing." He nuzzled in my neck. "They adore you. Not only have you stolen my heart, you have stolen theirs as well."

The sunset rippled across the sky, setting it ablaze as the heavens released the heat of the day. The water around us rippled and glowed, reflecting the glory above us. I turned in his arms, my heart pounding against his chest, and just before his lips met mine I breathed, "No Edward Cullen, you have stolen mine."

* * *

**A/N:** Marco Polo doesn't belong to us either, but Ode' De Edward however does. Just go to the Lex, and the thread about Edward and the pizza!

And Charlie in the kitchen was a totally original idea! If Skipper had been faster we could have had it up before Eclipse chapter 1 had been released, but just for the record; we had already thought of it.


	4. Life is Beautiful

**Inspirations -** Life is Beautiful by Vega4 swoon. Silly Bella. And the magical thing that is the Ocean.

**Disclaimer -** We own none of the following: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, any divinely obscure 70's music groups, James Bond (Though Kissa wishes she did), or the Eiffel Tower. If we did, this is what our lives would be like...

Kissa would be living and loving it up on the ocean shore with James bond raking in the royalties off of her 70's easy listening hits. While I, Cocoa, would be lapping up the royalties off of the best Novels to hit the shelves in decades while trying to spit off the top of the Eiffel Tower.

* * *

_**Life is Beautiful**_

"Bella, honey, it's time."

"I don't have to go to school today Dad, it's summer," I mumbled sleepily and rolled over facing away from Charlie, trying to get back into my dream.

"Bella, you told me to get you up before I got ready for work." Charlie's voice was barely above a whisper. But he had placed his hand on my shoulder and gently shook me from my sleepy stupor.

"Oh, that's right," I groaned, not really feeling like getting up yet. "Thanks Charlie," I yawned, making my words indecipherable to anyone but a parent. He just smiled at me in return.

"So where are you off to so early in the morning? I was sure teenagers didn't get up before noon during summer vacation." He laughed and sat down beside me on the bed.

"I'm not sure exactly," I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "He said something about not eating too much before he got here, so I'll assume we are having breakfast." I pushed myself up to sit with my legs crossed under the sheet and stifled another yawn.

"That sounds like fun, Sweetie. No matter what you end up doing, stay safe," Charlie demanded in his "chief" tone. He stood and patted my head, then left to get into the shower before heading off to work.

I stretched and looked at the clock on my nightstand. "4:30am" flashed in irritatingly bright red light back at me, mocking my desire to return to the soft embrace of my pillow. Sighing heavily, I threw the sheet from my lap and meandered toward the closet.

"Must wear bathing suit under clothes." I repeated the mental note I had taken the night before. Brains do not function properly before 6am at the earliest, and as a result I stood there, staring at the clothes hanging in my closet for what seemed like an eternity as my mind drifted aimlessly into nothingness. 'The morning-stares' was what my mother called them, and this morning I apparently had a bad case of them. I was startled from my hypnotic state by the sound of the front door closing.

"Oh crap!" My heart began to pound as I rushed to throw on my bathing suit, a pair of swim shorts, and a sweatshirt. Edward would be here any minute! Something taped to the door of my closet caught my eye. It was a note scrawled in Edward's elegant hand.

_**Just making sure you don't forget this time. Be sure to wear a bathing suit.**_

_**Edward**_

I rolled my eyes at his obvious reference to my forgetting our date entirely last week. I tossed the note on my nightstand then stumbled out of my room half walking, half hopping trying to put my shoes on. When I reached the top step, with my right foot in hand, I lost balance and grabbed for the security of the handrail. My fingertips just grazed the edge of the smooth warn wood, miss-judging its position. The sandal I had been trying to secure to my foot went flying in one direction as I flew in the other.

"Umph!" I landed with a jolt in Edward's arms as he appeared out of nowhere to my rescue. I lay sprawled there, staring up at the ceiling, his beautiful face looking down at mine. Slowly, he lowered his raised hand to reveal his miraculous catch of my disobedient shoe. _Showoff!_ I thought with a smirk.

I went to speak, to thank him for the save, but he placed a tender finger to my lips. "Shh" he whispered, though I could see that he was trying his best not to laugh. "Not a sound 'till after sunrise."

Such a cryptic message had my mind flooding with curiosity at once. _After sunrise? But why? _I opened my mouth to speak once more, but was silenced by his pleading eyes. He smiled as I closed my lips and brushed the hair from my cheek. Without taking his eyes from mine he placed me on the middle step and put the uncooperative shoe on my awaiting foot. Then took my hands in his and I stood lost in the honey pools of his eyes.

The silence of the house engulfed my ears, and with each step we took toward the awaiting morning, I became more and more attuned with my surroundings. Everything from the clock ticking on the wall to the sound of the water-heater humming filled my ears. Once we stepped out into the cool morning air, the peace and calm of nature enveloped me. It was so different from the mechanical sounds of my house. There was a harmony to it all, a symphony of crickets, trees and birds swirling in the air_. 'Till sunrise_, I thought again staring up at the dark pre-dawn sky that was still speckled with fading stars.

I reached for the Volvo door and was gently pulled away. Edward slowly turned my body toward his, backing me against the car-frame, pressing his body to mine. He ran his fingers along my sides, sending a sudden chill down my spine, until he reached my arms and then guided them to rest around his neck. His hands slid, retracing their path down the length of my arms back to my waist, pressing his hips closer to mine. As my heart pounded against his chest, the blood pulsated in my ears drowning out the early morning symphony. He caressed my lips with his in slow motion, as if the world had suddenly frozen in its rotation, every movement deliberate and sensual. The pulse in every part of my body, pounding a rapid rhythm, I could hear nothing but my heart, feel nothing but his lips. His hands slid further down my hips and the intensity of our movement grew in harmony with our desires, before finally pulling away. The air between us was no longer cool, but hot and thick. We stood there for a moment breathing in the tension that enveloped us before Edward finally opened the passenger door. I leaned my head back to rest against the chill of the car, using it to cool my immediate desires, then I sighed and slid my body into the awaiting passenger seat.

He smiled as he got in beside me, and I noticed that he was wearing blue swim shorts and a loosely buttoned white shirt. I could see him smirk as he backed out of the driveway, obviously noticing my ogling. Soon however, we were speeding down the road toward whatever indulgence awaited us. After that kiss I would have preferred we sped off to my awaiting bedroom, but this wasn't too bad either. I was actually growing accustomed to these dates, though it was something I never would admit to anyone especially not Edward.

I saw the houses blur, and soon there were no houses at all. At the speed we were driving, Forks disappeared in moments. The questions were burning in the back of my throat, and when I looked at Edward he was grinning madly. He was obviously enjoying my confusion a little too much for my liking_. I'll_ _give him till we get there_, I thought. After that there would be no stopping my questions. I sighed, and leaned back in my seat again. The ride might have been easier to endure in silence if I'd been able to enjoy the passing scenery, but I knew from experience what his driving did to my stomach.

I fidgeted with my fingers, not really knowing what to do with myself until Edward's hand reached out to mine, holding my hand lightly in his. I looked up at him again, only to see him smile encouragingly down at me. Hopefully we'd be there soon. By the time we reached Port Angeles, sleep once again clouded my mind. I had been thinking about what little sleep I'd gotten last night, and seeing as it still didn't seem like we were anywhere near our destination, a nap became the ideal solution. I snuggled down into my seat, trying to get as comfortable as possible, while keeping a firm hold of Edward's hand. His angelic face flooded my thoughts, and before long I drifted off into unconsciousness.

* * *

I woke up again when the car slowed down and made a turn to the left. Yawning and stretching, I opened my eyes to see we were speeding through a forest, though not as fast as Edward's usual standards. _What was up with Edward and the forest anyway?_ Wherever we went lately, it always seemed to include the forest. I looked ahead, only to see the end of the road. Through the darkness it wasn't very clear, but if my eyes were not mistaken; this silent ride was finally coming to an end.

When we stopped, Edward was by my side in an instant, opening my door before I'd even had time to open my buckle. I stretched in my seat, only then noticing the time. Had it only been an hour since we'd left Forks? As I got out of the car, he took a hold of my hand, and we walked through the thin line of trees and brushes that stood before us. When we crossed through the tree line, I gasped at the sight that greeted me. We were standing on a rocky shore, a small dock jutting out into the water and from the light of a small lamppost I could see a boat tied up at the end.

"Are we getting in a _boat_?" I asked flabbergasted, still remembering last weeks wet mishap. Edward looked at me with stern eyes. _Oh shoot! _I remembered a little too late. _No talking!_ My cheeks burned, and I looked up at him apologetically under my lashes. He looked rather amused now, and I smiled shyly back at him. Apparently this was more important to him than I had thought.

No other words were exchanged, as he pulled me onto the boat. And what a boat it was. Charlie would have been beaming at the sight of it. A luxury speedboat fit for any James Bond movie, it was large and white with the name _Elizabeth_ scrawled in ornate black lettering across the bow. I was exceptionally grateful that he hadn't let go of my hand; as I was getting in I almost fell in the water between the boat and the dock. He made sure I sat safely in the middle of the boat so that nothing would happen to me during the 15 seconds it took him to get the boat loose, started, and moving, and then we were off.

The wind blew through my hair as we sped across the increasingly brighter water. It would be dawn soon, but as yet there was still no sign of her glorious rays. The still, brisk morning air sent goose bumps over my skin. He motioned for me to come to him, and as soon as I had managed to crawl over there, he pulled me into his lap, snickering at the expression on my face.

I was absolutely positive that Edward had had Rosalie tinker with the boat's motor, because as soon as we cleared the bay, he sped up and in no time at all we were racing over the water, with the spray of the ocean flowing freely over us. My body went rigid and my fingers gripped tightly onto Edward's hand and twisted in his shirt. I couldn't look away from the blur passing in front of my eyes, and a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach began to grow with each passing wave.

As always he noticed when something was wrong, and suddenly the boat slowed and the blur transformed into separate shapes and colors once again. I shook my head, trying to regain my equilibrium, when I felt cold lips on the back of my neck. Sighing, I melted into his embrace, and as his lips moved closer and closer to the crease behind my ear, my panicked breathing slowed to a steady almost inaudible pace. In fact, I had to concentrate very hard on breathing it at all. I turned my head and followed his cool breath on my skin as he inched closer and closer to my lips, and when he kissed the corner of my mouth, my excitement and anticipation soared, and my heartbeat pounded in my ears for the second time.

As he pulled away, his eyes met mine, showering me with worry and concern. All that needed to be said in that moment was reflected in his eyes. A reassuring smile spread across my face, and instantly the worry washed from his. He raised his fingers to my lips, tracing slow and lightly along their edges. I could feel, ever so slightly, a tremble in his normally steady hand. I gently took each of his fingers and pressed my lips to them one by one. Every part of my being radiated my love for him. I felt eternal gratitude toward the fates for bringing Edward to me, and with each kiss I poured out my heart, with each touch I testified my love to him. When I released his hands, I sat there still for just a fraction of a time before curling up into his arms, resting my head against the side of his neck. We sped off again toward the coming dawn, his hand gently rubbing my back and driving slightly slower than before.

With a final purr of the engine, we slowed to a crawl and a shoreline loomed beautifully in the growing light just before us. We pulled along side the shore and Edward placed me gently on his chair while he dropped anchor. He then turned to me with an enormous smile, his glorious white teeth sparkling in the fading moonlight. He lifted me from the chair and carried me to the edge of the boat. The beach was only a short walk through the water from here. But to my surprise, Edward didn't let me down. I clung to his neck as he jumped from the boat landing into the water, feet first. It was only waist-deep from here, and he carried me all the way to shore.

When we reached the sandy beach, I kissed him sweetly on the cheek to thank him for his chivalry. He smiled back at me, with pride; I did bring out his human instincts. I was enjoying this non-verbal communication more and more with every passing second. You can apparently say a lot more with kisses and body language than I had ever dreamed of, and I was happy to explore the possibilities it held.

We walked to a spot in the sand where there had been placed a large basket. I eagerly peered inside to see what awaited us. From my quick peek, I could see a blanket, sunscreen, food, matches, bottled water, and a condom. I did a double take. _CONDOM!_ I immediately knew that it wasn't Edward who had placed the basket here. Most likely, he had trusted Alice or Emmett with the task, not catching the thoughts when one of them had decided to mess with him. I stifled the explosive laughter building in my chest and decided the best course of action was to play along. I took a moment in a meager attempt to compose myself, and facing away from Edward I inhaled deeply and decided to have some fun with this. I turned around and glared at Edward with the most livid look I could muster. Placing one hand on my hip, while the other flashed the metallic wrapping of the condom in the air.

Pure joy is all that can describe the feeling that came over me next. The look on his face was sheer horror. He couldn't utter a word, by his own rules, so when he opened his mouth to speak I flashed my finger to my lips in mock threat. He tried to mouth an explanation but it looked more like he was trying to lip-sync to an invisible song. This was too much; I couldn't contain my laughter any more. It burst from my chest with so much force I had to place my hands on my knees for support. I looked up to find Edward crouching for attack with a wicked smile dancing across his face. _Oh Crap!_ I took off running down the beach, dropping the offending practical joke on the sand beside the basket. I ran as fast as I could, unable to control my laughter, like I would actually make it very far. But the chase makes the catch so much more enticing for both of us. And with that, Edward tackled me gently to the sand laughing between gasping breaths.

I thrashed around trying to break free from his iron grip, but his strong hands held mine firmly above my head. His body straddled mine to keep me planted where I was. My struggle slowed, but my panting and laughter echoed in the quiet of the morning. You can't plan moments like these, they are what the great romance novels strive to mimic, and I had them for real. I felt pure joy flow through me as I looked up at his smiling frame. But Edward's smile abruptly vanished, the honey in his eyes darkening ever so slightly and he was at my side in an instant, staring off into the morning sky, his pose rigid and jaws clenched together.

_Too much_, I thought. How much more can he endure from me? With each passing day we grow closer and closer. Every day I tempted him more and more. I sat up and hung my head in my hands. I wanted nothing more in my life than to bring Edward happiness, yet all I could manage to bring him time after time was pain. The warm swell of tears fell across my cheeks as I mentally scolded myself for being so inconsiderate. I could make this easier, if I could only learn to control myself. I felt a soft blanket wrap around my shoulders and Edward leaned his head against mine. _His way of apologizing, _I thought. But he wasn't the one who need to apologize. _I_ was the one who was always making his life so much harder.

I looked up, my eyes pleading with his for forgiveness. He just smiled, wiped my tears from my cheek, wrapped one arm around me and entwined the other one in mine. Our faces said so much even though our voices were silent. _Complicated_. It was always going to be complicated. I sighed heavily, lowering my head against his strong shoulder. And as the sun peaked out from behind the horizon he kissed the top of my head gently.

Colors streaked across the sky, hues of pink and gold showering us in light. The hand that fit so well tucked between my tiny fingers glowed like a thousand blush diamonds. A new dawn. I pulled his shimmering hand to my lips and kissed it. This was how I wanted to start every morning from now through out all of eternity. My heart ached for that eternity. I quickly shut away the thought, so Edward wouldn't notice the longing in my eyes, and instead focused on everything around me. The sound of the ocean and the call of the sea gulls spun a musical welcome to this beautiful day.

"You're so beautiful, Bella." Edward's words floated over me for the first time in hours. "I like being quiet with you. My head is always so full of everyone's thoughts. But here with you now, it's just you and me, and for the first time we are truly alone." He softly kissed my forehead, lingering for a moment in the contact. "Thank you for playing along with me today."

I watched the sun rise higher in the sky as we talked. So deeply he poured his thoughts out to me. I had never felt so close to him as I did at that moment, maybe with the one exception being the first day we spent alone together in the meadow. Edward spoke of worry and joy. He spoke of heartache and passion. I listened, soaking in everything he had to say before finally voicing my own thoughts.

"I never knew you could say so much without ever saying anything at all." I thought back through the morning, and all we were able to convey without words.

"That was Jasper's idea actually," he chuckled. "Though I think it works a little differently for him because he can feel your feelings."

I laughed. "I think that could be considered cheating!"

"Indeed I believe you are right," he laughed. "Are you hungry?" As usual he skipped to a new topic at dizzying speeds.

"Famished," I replied, with a laugh bubbling in my throat.

"Well let's get you fed right away then!" His exuberating laugh filled the air as he helped me to my feet. The silence was wonderful, but the sound of his laughter, like wind chimes in perfect harmony, soothed my soul. As we walked down the beach, his arm perfectly draped around my shoulders, I couldn't help but think that I was the luckiest girl in the world. _Oh, the irony_. Me, Bella Swan-danger magnet, was the luckiest girl in the world.

We settled down on the picnic blanket, as Edward began fishing out various items of food out of the basket. I had been too focused on the condom earlier to register what else had been brought, but someone had obviously gone over board with this one. There was not a sandwich or two as I had expected, but rather a beautiful spread of crepes, fruits, and sauces.

I just stared dumbfounded. What else was there to do? I could feel myself stare at everything he took out, and no matter how much I tried to tear my gaze away from it, I couldn't. This was all too perfect. He had taken me to an island, we had watched the sunrise together, we sat on the beach talking, and now he had arranged the best kind of food for me. I knew the latter wasn't very unusual, but when added to the rest… I sighed.

"Edward… This is perfect. You shouldn't have." The spell broke as I said the words, and I tore my eyes away from the food and focused instead on his proud features. "Why do you keep doing all this for me?"

He looked overbearingly at me, and smiled. "Bella, what part of "I love you" do you not understand? _Nothing_ is too good for you. You deserve the world and so much more. You even deserve someone better than me, but for some reason you can't see that, and …" I put my finger over his lips.

"Shh…Edward," I said. "I love you, and I don't want anything or anyone but you!" His heavenly face held both sorrow and joy at once, and I desperately hoped the latter would be the strongest.

"We've had this conversation before," he said. "You just can't know that in a few years time you won't want more from life, want the human experiences I cannot give you! Life is complicated, Bella. It changes, it's cruel." I was about to argue, but before another sound could escape my lips, he offered me a crepe. "Eat now. Argue later," he said as my stomach erupted registering a 5.1 on the Richter scale. "I have something else I want to show you, and the last thing I need is for your blood sugar to get so low that you pass out on me." He chuckled as he saw my miffed expression, but without another word, I obediently took a bite. Begrudgingly, I relinquished my annoyance to satisfy my encroaching hunger. _Heavenly._ I savored each mouthful as it melted on my tongue.

"Where did you get this?" I asked between mouthfuls. "I need to go there sometime; this is wonderful! I didn't even know we had a French bakery in town" At this he laughed. "Bella, you go there all the time. It's called 'La Maison de Cullen', and your personal chef is sitting right here." He made a dramatic sweep of his hands across his chest.

I was baffled for a second, but composed myself and rolled my eyes as I helped myself to another bite. "Just what I need," I said, speaking with my mouth full. "Another thing you're better than me at. No, scratch that – another thing you are better than anyone in the whole world at! I am sure if I went to France and had crepes in the shadow of the Eiffel tower, they would pale in comparison." He laughed at my indignant expression.

"You mean _when_ you go to France." He winked. I laughed hard, slightly choking on what I had been eating.

"Yes fine, _when_ I go to France and eat crepes under the Eiffel tower I will shout your culinary superiority at the top of my lungs!" I coughed out in laughter.

"Are you finished?" He rolled his eyes at my sarcasm.

"Yes, where are we off to now captain?" I said, wiping my mouth with a napkin for fear I had chocolate sauce dripping from it.

"Captain eh? Would that make you my Tennille?" He laughed, cleaning up the rest of the food at lightening speed.

"You know, you sound like an old man when you say stuff like that!" I joked, backing slowly away from the blanket. He was going to come after me for saying that he was an old man. "Come on Edward sing me some Muskrat Love!" That was it. I took off running for the second time today. But he swept me off my feet in moments and continued running down the beach. Not at vampire speed this time, but at human speed. He was enjoying the moment as much as I was. The wind, the ocean spray… It was all so wonderful. As we ran he smiled down at me and began humming. It took only a few bars for me to figure out what the tune was. It's played in every elevator in America. Muskrat Love of course! I looked up at him and saw he was about to crack, and then we both broke out into laughter.

He slowly placed me down, my toes sinking into the cool sand. "I hear you have a thing for tidal pools." He winked, gesturing to a beautiful one brimming with sea life just ahead of us. "I think you'll find this one particularly magical."

I smiled like a little kid, grabbed his hand and practically skipped over to the awaiting pool. I crouched down on the bank with my knees in the water. "So much life in such a small space." I ran my fingers along a star fish nestled close to me. "It's very magical Edward, thank you."

He slid his hands into the water beside mine, and grasped a shell from the sandy floor. "An oyster. I wonder…" he trailed off.

I sat up, watching him. Edward's eyes sparkled like a child's on Christmas. "It's been dead a long time, but shall we have a look anyway?" He held his hands out to me as he opened the shell. I gasped.

"A pearl!" I shouted.

"For you." He placed the tiny pearl in my wet hands. It was small and perfect. I looked into his eyes, swallowed up in their intensity. "I knew this place was magical. They say finding a pearl brings good luck."

"It's so beautiful," I whispered.

He smiled and ran his cool wet fingers along my jaw. "It's pretty, but not nearly as beautiful as you are." Edward's lips gently fell to mine, softly caressing them with his. And as the waves licked quietly at our bodies, we lost ourselves for one brief passing moment in time.


	5. The End

Author's Note:

We want to thank you all for reading our stories and the wonderful reviews you have left us over the last two years. As we have noticed many of you registering for updates on this story we thought it only fair to let you know that we are no longer going to be updating this account.

Skipper is off to the greater educational institutions of Norway discovering that not everyone eats kelp, and that not all natives wear _**lederhosen**_**.** While spending her weekends relishing in the collegiate Co-ed party scene!

_...............Skipper – POMPEII!!! That's GERMANY! _

_...............Pompeii – You're point being? [Skipper stares dumbfounded] That's what I thought. Now where were we? Oh yes…_

Pompeii is off to great corporate endeavors, line dancing, and her relentless promotion of, Norwegian rock star and reigning World Idol champion, Kurt Nilsen to any American who will listen.

_...............Pompeii – HEY! I don't LINE DANCE!!!! _

_...............Skipper – Lederhosen…_

_...............Pompeii – Touché._

It was a wonderful experience. Thank you again for reading, being a part of this adventure and brightening our day every time we check our email. If you haven't read and reviewed all of our stories…what are you waiting for? And if you haven't checked out our lovely beta Storms stories yet, be sure to check out our favorite authors and read all of her amazing fanfiction.

* * *

And they lived happily ever after…………eventually.

The End.


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